You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

WiFi networks selection list. How do I delete a network?

Need to suppress an unjoinable network from appearing in Network Settings, "Network Name " pop-down, and menu bar wifi status pop-down.

Unwanted network does not appear in Advanced Network Settings "Preferred" list.

And "Ask to join . . . " is OFF.


Saw a post that said if an ignorable network was in range and not "hidden", there is no way to make it not appear in the lists. Can that really be so?

MacBook Pro Retina

Posted on Mar 20, 2020 12:06 PM

Reply
6 replies

Mar 20, 2020 12:17 PM in response to DeChardin

Yes, that is true. Just like a radio. You may not listen to a station but it's still on the dial. However, it's being there has no impact on your computer or device. Most networks you see will have locks meaning you can't access them unless you have login credentials. Networks that don't show the lock image are public networks.

Mar 20, 2020 8:17 PM in response to DeChardin

It was an analog not a comparison. I guess you're too young to remember radios before they had presets. Apple has provided the means to remove or forget a once used network as part of the Wi-Fi preference settings in Network preference panel. But outside Wi-Fi pickups are not something you are logged into. They represent other computers within close enough range to be picked up by the Wi-Fi card in your computer. As far as your computer is concerned these other signals are not connected to your computer, therefore, they can not be deleted. Radios pick up all the stations that are within its pickup range. You select the one you wish to listen to but the others don't just disappear. Same with your Wi-Fi. You are picking up other stations but have to select the one you have to listen to. The others are still there.


Mar 21, 2020 5:39 AM in response to Kappy

" . . .these other signals are not connected to your computer, therefore, they can not be deleted. "


To beat the proverbial dead horse, some may want to actually eliminate the unwanted networks from the whole internet.

I, however, merely want to be able to edit the list like I can many other lists on a computer device. That's where the radio analog trips over the "Preset" comparison. Think "filter".


Granted, my Boy Scout crystal set did not allow me to save or ignore any particular kHz lurking station I found,

but what I suggest is a 21st century cake walk.



WiFi networks selection list. How do I delete a network?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.